What Can You Earn? Sports Management Degree Salary Insights

Sports management job salaries can vary significantly. While some entry-level roles have an average starting salary of about $38K, higher-level roles in sports management can bring in as much as $200K per year.¹ In fact, an annual salary of millions of dollars per year is also possible for those who rake in very high commission amounts by repping high-profile professional sports athletes and landing them top-dollar contracts and endorsement deals.

Because of the wide variation in salaries in the field and the wide variety of roles that fall under the category of “sports manager,” it’s imperative for those who want to have better roles in the sports world to take certain steps to increase their earning power and be fully prepared for the industry.

Read on to learn more about sports management and how you can land top roles and raise your earnings potential.

Higher compensation as a sports manager is achievable for those with more experience and better qualifications.¹

Whether you want to be a project manager, a sports agent, an athletic director, or a general manager, the following steps will help you become a more in-demand candidate that can command a higher annual salary and land better roles:

Internships are an opportunity for students and graduates to gain in-the-field experiences that give them a competitive advantage in an industry when full-time hiring time arrives.² In the sports industry, internships are a critical way to get exposure to a particular work environment and build hard and soft skills that are essential for long-term roles. Employers often look for internship experience among hires that may not have a lot of professional experience in an area for proof that the candidate has an interest in the field, familiarity with the roles, and a willingness to learn more once hired. The University of Kansas, known for its historic sports accolades and Jayhawk NCAA D1 and BIG 12 athletes competing in basketball, football, offers its online graduate students access to top internships that have positively impacted students’ lives and careers.

Having advanced sports management skills gained from a leading sport management master’s program helps job seekers stand out from other applicants and boost earning potential. Advanced skills can be gained in an educational setting, including in reputable sport management master’s programs, taught by experienced faculty who know the ins and outs of the sports industry. Highly-respected sports management master’s degrees include courses in:

• Sport ethics
• Sport finance
• Sport marketing
• Sporting facilities
• Sport sponsorship
• Sport fundraising

Top sport management degree programs also expose students to vital front office techniques, advanced business theories, and real-world experience in key areas of every level of the sports industry including the professional, intercollegiate, high school, and nonprofit sector levels. Attending an immersive online program with a leading-edge industry curriculum that shares the most current industry knowledge and perspectives means students—and alumni—can fast-track the speed at which they obtain sought-after sport management experience, applicable skills, and industry knowledge.

Professional experience in a sports management role is a phenomenal way to improve your resume and hiring appeal while opening new career opportunities to top management roles that require previous experience. One way to gain direct job experience while you also gain advanced skills taught in a master’s program is to attend a highly-respected online program. Online sport management programs are a great way for individuals to earn an academically rigorous, accredited degree while working full-time in the industry and maintain positive career momentum. Sport management job seekers that come to the hiring table with the latest master’s degree skills and professional industry skills have a greater chance to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers.

The direct guidance a well-connected, industry-veteran mentor provides can be an invaluable boost to your career. Having a sports mentor is a way to build important networking ties in the field which can, in turn, helps unlock new management roles. Having a mentor provides the important industry connections and perspective that can only be gained from sharing one-on-one personal experiences and personal goals that a mentor-mentee relationship provides. Mentors, in general, are beneficial because they:

• Help accelerate careers
• Support self-development
• Help build overall confidence³

The University of Kansas understands how critical mentorship is for achieving success in the competitive sports industry. Each online graduate student in its sport management master’s program is paired with a KU Jayhawk alumni mentor to help students reach their career goals and full professional potentials.

When considering the best path forward for you and your rising career, consider KU’s online master’s in sport management degree. KU offers multiple ways to increase your sport management earning power: advanced skills, a flexible learning environment, an industry-connected network, and a one-to-one sports mentor that can help you increase your hiring chances and career connections.

With the KU online master’s degree in sport management*, you’ll be ready when the right sport management opportunities arise. Explore the curriculum, including our internship opportunity, and schedule a call with an admissions advisor today.

*This program is a Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) degree in health, sport management, and exercise science with an emphasis in sport management.